Ubuntu Tips n Tricks

Linux-based Hard Drive Data Recovery Tools

Posted: 29 Jul 2010 06:20 AM PDT

Linux-based Hard Drive Data Recovery Tools: If your hard drive is unbootable due to corrupt partition tables, computer viruses, system errors, and other non-mechanical issues, you may consider using a hard drive data recovery tool to save your precious files or data from being permanently wiped out. Thankfully, there are tons of available Linux-based rescue tools that can get the job done quickly and easily. I have here a list of some of the most well-known Linux-based hard drive data recovery tools that you can use freely:

SystemRescueCd

SystemRescueCd is a Gentoo-based Linux distribution that is loaded with essential features for rescuing damaged computer systems. It is able to run from a Live CD or from a USB flash drive, and comes with an easy-to-use graphical desktop environment. Here are some of SystemRescueCd's features and software packages that can be used for hard drive data recovery:

* fdisk for editing disk partition table
* PartImage disk imaging software
* TestDisk for recovering lost partition
* PhotoRec for recovering lost data
* GNU Parted and GParted for partitioning disks and resizing partitions
* File system tools: file system create, delete, resize, move
* Ability to create boot disk for operating systems

You may also want to check out my review of SystemRescueCd for more information.

Ubuntu Rescue Remix

Ubuntu Rescue Remix is a live system that can run from CD or USB flash device and has a full command-line environment. It offers up-to-date versions of some of the most capable open-source hard drive data recovery software, which includes GNU ddrescue, Photorec, The Sleuth Kit and Gnu-fdisk. Some of the packages included on the latest version of Ubuntu Rescue Remix are aoetools, array-info, ext3-grep, gptsync, kpartx, and scrounge-ntfs.

F-Secure Rescue CD

Based on Knoppix, F-Secure Rescue CD is specially designed to rescue systems affected by viruses, trojans, worms, and other malware. It can securely boot-up and check the files from the compromised hard drive or view the programs installed. It is also capable of doing more advanced repair and hard drive data recovery operations.

Trinity Rescue Kit (TKR)

Trinity Rescue Kit or TKR is a bootable command-line Linux distro that is mainly based on Mandriva Linux. It is primarily aimed for recovery and repair operations on Windows machine, but it can also be used on Linux. It is bootable from a USB storage device, CD, or through a network using PXE. Trinity Rescue Kit eliminates the standard Linux manual command so that it can save disk space. Here are some of its hard drive data recovery features:

* can easily reset windows passwords
* full NTFS write support
* clone NTFS filesystems over the network
* easy script to find all local filesystems
* recovery of files with utilities and procedures
* recovery of lost partitions
* evacuation of dying disks
* powerful multicast disk cloning utility for any filesystem

Ddrescue

Ddrescue is a simple hard drive data recovery software that has the ability to copy data from one file or block device to another, thus rescuing data in case of read errors. The basic operation of ddrescue is fully automated but you can stop the rescue at any time and restart it later right where you left off. Because Ddrescue is not a Live CD or a Linux distro, you will have to install it first on your Linux system, and then mount the affected hard drive to start rescuing data.

If you have used or know other Linux-based hard drive data recovery tools other than those mentioned above, please share them with us via comment.